After playing over 60 international tests, Ishant Sharma is now considered to be one of the experienced pacers in the Indian line up. He has went through several bad phases in his career but every time, he has managed to fight back well and give great performances which took his team to victory on a number of occasions. He is known for dismissing some batsmen in particular who are kind of ‘bunnies’ for him. Also, he gets introduced into the bowling attack as soon as his bunnies come in to bat and for almost everytime, he manages to produce the same result. Let us have a look at his bunnies i.e. the batsmen who have been dismissed the most number of times by him.
- Alastair Cook – 8 times: The test captain of the English side has been prone to get dismissed by Ishant Sharma for quite a number of times. In India’s past tour to England, Ishant Sharma bowled remarkably well in a few tests and dismissed Cook on successive occasions. Also, as Cook is a left handed batsman, the angle created by Ishant’s bowling stance increases the chances for the ball to take the edge of the bat.
- Michael Clarke – 7 times: The Aussie skipper has been dismissed by Ishant for a number of times. It all started from the 2007-08 series in Australia where Clarke was dismissed for a number of times by Ishant. Also, Ishant dismissed Clarke once in the ongoing test series.
- Ricky Ponting – 7 times: The former Aussie skipper and the legendary batsman had been a bunny of Ishant Sharma. Ishant dismissed Ponting on successive occasions in the 2007-08 Border Gavaskar trophy. Also, when Australia toured India a year later, Ponting was dismissed quite a few times by Ishant.
- Ian Bell – 7 times: Ian Bell was recently running through a rough patch in international cricket when India toured England for the last time in June-July. Ishant took the full advantage of it and dismissed Bell for a number of times.
- Shane Watson – 6 times: Recently, Watson has been running through a drought patch and Ishant has caused quite much of troubles for him in the recent past. Watson was dismissed successively by Ishant in the on-going series. Also, he was dismissed by Ishant on some previous occasions.
Image Courtesy: espncricinfo